Sunday Puzzle

6:05 am

Sun November 3, 2013

Regardless Of The Answer, Stay Staid

On-air challenge: Each answer is a two-word phrase consisting of two homophones starting with the letter S. For example, given the clue "remained dignified," the answer would be, "stayed staid."

Last week's challenge: Name a brand of beer. Rearrange the letters to name an activity often associated with beer.

Answer: Tsingtao, toasting

Winner: Jacob Taber of New York, N.Y.

Next week's challengefrom the Emmy-winning TV comedy writer Mike Reiss: A famous actress and a famous director share the same last name, although they are unrelated. The first name of one of these is a classic musical. The first name of the other is an anagram of a classic musical. Who are they?

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you Thursdayat 3 p.m. Eastern.

Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Transcript

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Rachel Martin. Get your game face on, folks, because it's time for the puzzle.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MARTIN: Joining me now from member station WFYI in Indianapolis, Ind., is Will Shortz. He is, of course, the puzzle editor of the New York Times, and WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle-master. Good morning, Will.

WILL SHORTZ, BYLINE: Good morning, Rachel.

MARTIN: So what brings you to the great American Midwest?

SHORTZ: I am speaking this afternoon at Clowe's Hall here in Indianapolis, and I speak for a few minutes, I do a Q&A, and then I have lots of audience-participation word games.

MARTIN: Very cool. OK. So refresh our memories, what was last week's challenge?

SHORTZ: Yeah. Last week's challenge was short and sweet. I said: Name a brand of beer, rearrange the letters to name an activity often associated with beer. And the answer was Tsingtao, which is T-S-I-N-G-T-A-O. Rearrange the letters, you get toasting, which is something you often do with beer. That was our intended answer. There were a few solvers who thought of an alternative: Flying Fish. Do you know Flying Fish beer?

MARTIN: I do not.

SHORTZ: It was new to me, and you can rearrange that slightly to get fly fishing, which is something you might do while you're drinking beer.

MARTIN: OK. So we got about 200 correct answers. And our randomly selected winner this week is Jacob Taber of New York, N.Y. He is on the line now. Hey, Jacob. Congratulations.

JACOB TABER: Thanks so much. It's great to be here.

MARTIN: So did this come pretty quickly to you? How did you figure it out?

TABER: So, I listen to the puzzle every week while doing the dishes on Sunday morning. And it didn't come to me right away. I spent some time thinking about it. But on Tuesday night, when I was again washing some dishes, I sort of zoned out and there it just popped into my head.

MARTIN: Had you had a Tsingtao recently?

TABER: I've actually never tried it. I drink a lot of domestic microbrews and I hadn't had the pleasure of trying Tsingtao, but I guess now I'll have to.

MARTIN: I feel like maybe now you're obliged to go try it. And what do you do for a living in New York?

TABER: I am a law student. I'm in my third year at NYU School of Law.

MARTIN: So, you are a busy man.

TABER: Very busy, but I make time for the important things, like puzzles.

MARTIN: Of course. That's what we like to hear. And I understand you recently had a birthday.

TABER: My birthday was on Thursday, when I got the call inviting me to be on the puzzle. And this is actually - and I'm sorry to say this to everyone at home - my very first time submitting an answer.

MARTIN: Oh, man. Beginner's birthday luck. OK. With that, Jacob, are you ready to play the puzzle?

TABER: I am ready.

MARTIN: All right, Will, let's do it.

SHORTZ: All right, Jacob and Rachel. Each answer today is a two-word phrase consisting of two homophones, starting with the letter S. For example, if I gave you the clue: remain dignified, you would say stayed staid.

MARTIN: OK. You have it, Jacob?

TABER: I've got it.

MARTIN: All right. Let's try.

SHORTZ: Number one: observes oceans.

TABER: Sees seas.

SHORTZ: That's it. Number two: event at which jibs and spinnakers are reduced in price.

TABER: A sail sale.

SHORTZ: Sail sale is right. Take a large Indian tribe to court.

TABER: Sue the Sioux.

SHORTZ: There you go: sue Sioux. Tries to find a religious group in India.

TABER: Seeks Sikhs.

SHORTZ: Excellent. Stitch in such a manner.

TABER: Sew so.

SHORTZ: That's it. Very nice set of connected rooms. And think of connected rooms, say, in a hotel or an office.

TABER: Oh, a sweet suite.

SHORTZ: Sweet suite is it. Illegally take some manufacturing metal.

TABER: Steals steel.

SHORTZ: Steal steel is it. Barely noticeable trick with the hand.

TABER: Slight sleight.

SHORTZ: Slight sleight is it. Now, the following answers have two syllables, and your first one of these is a sad-looking Indian dress.

TABER: Oh, a sorry sari.

SHORTZ: Sorry sari. Shoplifted German pastry.

TABER: Stolen stollen.

SHORTZ: Stolen stollen is it. Ice cream treat after church, say.

TABER: A Sunday sundae.

SHORTZ: That's it. And now for a three-syllable answer: recap that has a July, August feel to it.

TABER: Summery summary.

SHORTZ: That's it. And your last one has four syllables: writing paper that doesn't move.

TABER: Stationery stationary.

SHORTZ: There you go. 100 percent.

MARTIN: A-plus. Jacob, that was excellent. Are you that good on your law school exams?

TABER: Now and then.

MARTIN: Now and then.

TABER: Now and then.

(LAUGHTER)

MARTIN: For playing the puzzle today, you'll get a WEEKEND EDITION lapel pin, puzzle books and games. You can read all about it at npr.org/Puzzle. And before we let you go, Jacob, what is your public radio station?

TABER: WNYC, although I grew up with WITF, Harrisburg, and that's what turned me on to NPR.

MARTIN: Great. And WNYC of course in New York, New York. Jacob Taber of New York City. Thanks so much for playing the puzzle. Jacob, it was fun.

TABER: Thank you for having me.

MARTIN: OK, Will. What is the challenge for next week?

SHORTZ: Yes, it comes from the Emmy-winning TV comedy writer Mike Reiss. A famous actress and a famous director share the same last name, although they are unrelated. The first name of one of these is a classic musical. And the first name of the other is an anagram of a classic musical. Who are they?

So again: a famous actress, famous director, they share the same last name but they're unrelated. First name of one of these is a classic musical. And the first name of the other is an anagram of a classic musical. Who are these people and what are the musicals?

MARTIN: You know what to do. When you've got the answer, go to our website, npr.org/puzzle and click on the Submit Your Answer link - just one entry per person, please. Our deadline for entries is Thursday, November 7th at 3 P.M. Eastern Time.

Please include a phone number where we can reach you at about that time, because if you're the winner we'll give you a call. And you will get to play on the air with the puzzle editor of The New York Times. And he is, of course, WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle-master, Mr. Will Shortz.